1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a program. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and a program for correcting brightness and a color of an image of a subject.
In addition, the present invention relates to a shape diagnostic apparatus, a shape diagnostic method and a program. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shape diagnostic apparatus, a shape diagnostic method and a program for detecting a defect in a shape of a subject based on an actually taken image of the subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a technique for adjusting a color balance in an image that is changed depending on an illumination condition when that image was taken, a technique is conventionally known in which a reference color member, such as a white or black member, and a subject are imaged simultaneously and the color balance is adjusted based on the color of the reference color member (see Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open No. 2001-309392, for example).
However, an effect of illumination on the color of the image of the subject is varied depending on a normal direction of each region of the subject. According to the above conventional technique, it was not possible to correct the color of the image appropriately depending on the normal direction of each region of the subject.
In addition, for an unknown illumination condition, it was not possible to correct the image of the subject into an image that is taken under a predetermined illumination condition.
Moreover, as a method for checking a three-dimensional shape of an object, a technique is conventionally known in which shape data of the object that was measured by a three-dimensional scanner is compared with original three-dimensional data of the object so as to check the shape of the object, for example, as described in an online article entitled “A three-dimensional scanner increasing its use”, Nikkei Digital Engineering, June issue in 2002, No. 55, Nikkei Business. Publications, Inc., http://dm.nikkeibp.co.jp/free/nde/kiji/no207/report04.html (searched for on Aug. 20, 2003).
However, the three-dimensional scanner requires acquisition of huge amount of point data and huge amount of calculation for converting the point data into the shape data. Thus, the size of the object that can be measured by that three-dimensional scanner is limited. More specifically, that three-dimensional scanner cannot measure an object that is larger than a human body.